Fuel-feeding apparatus.



. WITNESSES J. HYDE, DEGD.

c. HYDE, ADMINISTBATRIX. FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS. uruouxoy FILED sun. 17, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

'monms Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

5.3mm, Damn.

0.1mm, Amlma'rxnmp F EL FEEDING ngrgm'rns. urmonmly rum um 11 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.IPIVENTOR Patented NOV. 1914.

' c/Z fiz;

wrmessts JYTOIMEYS J. HYDE, DEGD, 0.3mm, ADHINISTRATRIX. FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. n, 1912.

Patentd Ndv.3,1914.

3 SHEETSSH%T 3.

WITNESSES manure To all'wlwm it may concern:

vtion, under boilers,

'ilhl krs. srarss Pass 'IOFFIOE.

JOHN HYDE, or PIrrssUus-H, PENNSYLVANIA; CATHERINE HYDE hnmrms'r m'rmx or sum JOHN HYDE, DECEASED.

FUEL-FEEDING APPARATUQ misuse.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 17, 1912. Seriai ll'd'iififlfliid.

Be it known that 1, JOHN HYDu,-a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Fuel-Fecding Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to apparatus for adapting coal and other like fuel for cilicient combustion in a finely divided state admixed with ain'aud has reference more particularly to apparatus of the class described which comprises a casing having a fuel inlet and a fueloutlet, means in the casing for con minutiug the fuel, the casing; having an 'air inlet, means for controlling the introduction of the fuel into the casing, and means operable simultaneously with the last mentioned, controlling means, rind serving in turn to control the air inlet.

The object'of tlie invention is to provide a simple and eificient apparatus of the class described, by means of which coal and like fuel can be rapidly and easily comininutedand thoroughly mixed with air, to adapt it for combustion in its finely divided condior for other purposes, roduces a perfect admixture of the divided fuel, and EtlI,\VhlOl1 produces which finely a fuel mixture that will burn 'without the.

formation of clinkers'or other deleterious residual aggregations, which requires com paratively little power to drive it, and in which theamount of air entering is controlled directly and automatically b the means for varying the introductionoi the fuel into the apparatus, so that asthe operation of the device is varied in accordance with the amount of fuel or the nature of theiuel, the

- amount of air entering'tobe mixed With the finely divided fuel is likewise automatically controlled.

The invention consists in theizonstruction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in allthe views, and in which Figure l is a side elevation of fuel uppulied form of a com ratus constituting an embodiment of-mii invention; Fig- 2 a transverse dection show-- ing the conuninuting'mechanism; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the fuel apparatus,

.lPatentcd Nov. 3, 1914:.

showing the means for introducing the fuel into the apparatus; Fig. 4 is a detailed structure of the from the hopper to the fuel com-minuting zsiug; Fig; 5 is a mod} ruit, and Fig. 6 is an onlarged detail View of the speed changing mechanism.

Before proceeding to a more detailed e2? plunation of my invent-ion, it should be understood that the present form of the apparatus constitutes an improvement upon that shown in my copending United States apev plication Serial No, 652052, filed September 30, 1911. 'lhe present typepf the invention as Well as that showuin the prior application, is particularly intended for use with soft coal, but fuels of other kinds can also be advantageously employed therein. I prefer to associate the apparatus directly with a boiler or series of boilers, the furnaces of which are designed for use with fuel mixtures such as that Needless to say. it can be employed. for other purposes than firing boilers.

I have not shown an actuating mechanism for the apparatus, but it will be understood that asteam turbine, an electric motor, or any other suitable means capable of employment for the purpose can be used. Furthermore, certain of the details of construction, shown for example herewith, form no part of the invention, and can be varied in accordance with individual preference and special conditions, Without deviatingfrom the spirit of the in ention as defined in the appended claims.

In the present form of the'device, fuel is introduced into one end of the casing and is comminuted by rotary meinhers operating in that partvcf the casing which receives the.

fuel first. Airv also introduced into this part of the casing. The finely divided fuel then drawn from this portion of the Gasing and passes into a second partof the casing through a conduit which gradually decreases in cross-section. That portion of the conduit which communicates directly With'the first part of the along substantially the entire length of the provided by the device. I

casing extends same. if; blower is located in the third part of the cssing, and the fuel mixture is advanced byiit through the conduit, and then to the nozzle for feeding the fuel mixture directly to thepoint of its combustion. Air is also admitted to the conduit, and both of the air inlets are automatically controlled as will be pgipted out later.

It will be seen that the present type of my invention diii'ersfrom the customary one, in which fuel is admitted at onerendof the casing, is coinminnted, and passes -through thei casing, being drawn ofi at the opposite en My invention also resides in control of the entering air simultaneously with the controlling of the operation of the feeding mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown a. suitable base or support 10 having at the ends, uprightsjl and 12; Between the uprights are mounted the casing sections 13,- is and 15, which are preferably fashioned from sheet metal"; The sections 14 and I5 are substantially cylindrical, While the section 13, the largest of the three, is rounded at the top and bottom, but

- has fiat sides. The section 13 has associated therewith a fuelfinlet feed 16 comprising a substantially lioi'izontalconduit in which is operatively. mounted a Worm conveyor 17. A hopper 18 is mounted upon the conduit and serves for the introduction of the fuel. The shaft of the worm conveyer is suitably convenient manner.

jou'rnaled at the ends of the conduit, and is provided with a pulley 19 by means of which it can be belt-driven. The conduit 16 has adownwardly directed portion 20 which opens into the lower part of the casing section 13. An electromagnet 21 is mounted upon the conduit part 20, and projects into the same. It serves to remove metallic impurities from the fuel passing through the conduit,

The uprights 11 and 12 have bearings 22 at their upper ends, in which is journaled a shaft- 23 extending longitudinally of the apparatus, through the casing sections 13, 14 and 15. The upright 12 has, a suitable distance below the bearing 22, a second bearing, 24. Under the casing section 1.4 is an upright 25 terminating at its upper end in a bearing 26. A shaft 27 parallel to the shatt 23 is journaled in thebearings 24 and 26 and extends longitudinally through the lower portion of the casing section 13. The shafts are operativcly conncctcdby means of sprockets 28 and a chain 29, or n any other Journaled 1n suitable framework 30 under the casing sections 14 and 15, is a transverse shaft 31 having a gear 32 mounted thereon, which meshes with a Worm 33 carried by the shaft 2-7.

The end or the shaft 31 has a pinion 61 which drives a pinion 62 through the methe automatic rus es 'dium or a pinion 63 or a pinion 64. carried by the operating handle 37 pivotally mounted on the shaft 31. At the end of the shaft 31 a pulleyfi is provided which is preferably connected by means of a belt '35 with a pulley 19 of thefuel feeding mechanism; All of said pinions 61, 62, 63 and 64 are in closed in a' suitable casing 36 and are adapted to vary the speed of the pulley Wireletively to the shaft 27 so that the operation of the fuel-feed mechanism can be con- 7 the comminutin elements with removable or interchangea l'e shoes or paddles 41 mounted at the ends of the arms by means ofscrews or rivets, or in any other suitable manner.

The air inlet pipe 42 extends upwardly from the casing 'sec'tion13 and serves for the introduction of air at the upper part of the casing. It has, near its, vee end, a valve member 13 mounted upc a 06.44:

journaled in suitable 'openings of the inlet pipe. The casing section 13, near the top and at one side, is provided with an outlet opening 45 extending longitudinally thereof and provided'with an upwardly disposed flange or rini 46 extending around the, edge.

A conduit 47 has a correspondingly shaped and proportioned, anddownwardly directed part 48 arranged at the opening-l5, seating about the flange 46. The conduit is substantially Ll shaped and is of decreasing cross-section, having a second, downwardly disposed part 49' of substantially circular cross section seating at a flange 50, extending aroundthe inlet opening 51 at the top of the second casing section 14. The conduit near the. top of the downwardly disposeu'portion 49, has an air inlet 52 consistin of a short, upwardlydirected pipe provided with a valve member The latter is mounted upon the rod 44 which extends through and is ournaled in suitable bearing openings in the sides of the pipe. At the end, the rod 4% has a laterally disposed arm 54: operatively connected by means of a rod 55, with the operating member 37 of the change speed mechanism.

The shaft 23 it will be remembered, extends longitudinally through all the casing sections. A'blow'er or fan 56 of any suitable construction is mounted rigidly upon the shaft, within the section 15. The... latter i.,i issue communicates with the section lat, through p nings 5'? in t e adjacent Walls. An outet conduit 58 is associated with the casing motion ncar'the upper part thereof, and thi'minctes in a tapered, laterally extended nozzle 59 of n'type adapted for the introduction of u fuel mixture into the combustion chamber 60 of a boiler or the like.

The fuel is introducedinto the apparatus by means of the. screw conveyor 1'1", which advances the coal from the hopper 18 to the conduit 20 through which the coal passes into the lower portion of the casing section 13. The rapidly rotating, comminuting element breaks the lumps of coal up andlinely divides the some, so that the fuel is in eh feet powdered.

it will be understood. that the apparatus is driven in any suitable manner by applying power to the shaft 23, from an electric motor or other source. The fan 56 creates a suction and the fuel mixture is drawn from the cusing section 13, into the conduit 47, air havtime, is thei ci which the delivery ing entered through the inlet 42 into the cos ing section 13. it. will'he understood that the conduit facilitates the intimate mixing of the air and thefinely divided coal. The cesin section 1% is also in eilect a mixing chum er as the expansion of the mixture when entering the casing it from the conduit i? efiects a good mining, so that by the the mixture reaches "the ccsingscction 1:3,where itsconstituents are further mined by the'hioivei, it is in 9. highly suitable con dition for purposes of combustion. The blower advances the mixture of finely di-.

vided coal and sir into the conduit 58 and through the distributing nozzle 59, whence it escapes to the combustion chamber of the boiler, v The mixture passing through the conduit e? receives through the/sir inlet 52, an accession of air inst before "it enters the mixing chamber 14.

By means of the change speed device 36, the rate at which fuel is fed into thedevice cunhe varied and exactly controlled. At the some time, the amount of air entering the casing section 13 and the conduit 47 is regulaterl proporticnelly'th the feeding of the coal into the apparatus, as the valves 43 and .53 of the air inlets are operated simultaneously with the operation of the change speed mechanism. x

'It can be seen that the couduiti'? and the mixing chamber 14 can be considered as a single conduit connecting the chamber 13 with the chamber if). The gradual contraction of the conduit l? will cause the fuelend uiipassing-though it to'chenge its speed, assuming the speed oi fan to be constant. From the theory of the flow of fluids, we know that QzAXV, where {L2 is the volume of fuel mixture delivered per unit of sectional area through is made and V the velocity of flow of the mixture. s the volume 01' as shown in the drawings. the cross-sectional urea. of the conduit l? gradually decreases it approaches the mixing chamber Ll, consequently it follows from the equation above stated, that the speed of iicw of air and particles of fuel increases as the same appreaches the mixing chamber 14. In view of the fact that the particles oi. air and fuel possess difi'erent inertis'their change in velccity will not he uniform with the change in speed of the mixture taking place due to the change incross-sectional area of the conduit. As a result this difference in velocities will permit offer better intermingling of the fuel and air in the conduit. Then the fuel and air particles enter the chamber lei, which is comperutively large, it causes the stream of flow to expandyand this ex pension creates a whirl the'chamber (a. well known condition explained in Flow of Fluids in any of the treatises on snme),causing the fuel and air particles to intermin'glc, thereby forming a perfect mixture of the two.

It may be desirable to'increase thelength of this conduit, and this :increase can be eiiected in any suitable manner. I. have shown in Fig. -5 smodiiicetion of the preferred embodiment of the invention, in that the conduit 61 connects the sections 62 and (i3, and is of greater length than the corre sponding conduit 47. To increase the lengthndditional conduit sections 64: and 65 are interposed between the ends of the conrluit. 61 and respectively, the chamber sec tions 62 and 63.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Petentze 1 Apparatus of the class described comsections; fuclpmnminuting means in oneof said section's; fuel mixture advancing means prising s c-using having two independent" in the second 0 (said sections; aconduit con-' necting said sections, comprising a gradually contracting portion and an enlarged; portion adgecent the contracting end of said first ortion; means for feeding fuel into said net section; and a fuel mixture distributing nozzle connecting with said seconld section, said first section having an air in et.

{5. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing having two independent sections, fuel .comminuting means inone of said sections, iuel mixture advancing means in the other of said sections, a mixing charm her intermediate said sections having direct communication with said sectionhaving the :fuel advancing means, and a gradually contracting conduit from said section containing the comniinuting means ,to said mixing chamber for the purpose set forth, said firstmentioned section having an air and a fuel inlet and said second section having a fuel mixture outlet. I

4. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing having two independent sections; a fuel comminuting mechanism in one of said sections; fuel mixture advancing means in the other of said sections; means for feeding fuel into said section havin said comminuting means therein; and a mi mixturedistributing nozzle associated with.

said other section, said first section having an air inlet and a conduit of varying cross section connecting said sections for causing a variation in speed of the fuel and air particles passing from the section having the fuel fe'ech to the section having the advancing Y 5. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing comprising a first section,

' an intermediate or mixer section, and a third section, fuel-comminuting means in Said first section, a blower in said third section, said first section and said intermediate section being independent of each other, said intermediate section and'said third section communicating directly, means for feeding fuel into said first section, said third section having a fuel mixture outlet, a conduit connecting said first section and said intermediate section, said first section having a valve controlled air outlet, said conduit havlng a valve-controlled inlet, means for varying the speed of said fuel feed, and an operative mnnection between said fuel feed varying means and said valve controlled air inlets.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing having two independent sections, fuel comminuting mechanism in one of said sections, fuel mixture advancing means in the other of said sections, a mixing chamber intermediate said sections having direct communication with said section having the fuel mixture advancing means, and .i gradually contracting conduit from the peripheral side of said section containing the fuel comminuting mechanism to the peripheral side of said mixing-chamber and spam whereby the fuel and air coming from said conduit into said mixing chamber is caused to expand, said first-mentioned section having a fuel and an air inlct,-'said second sec- 4 comminuting mechanism alongsubstantially its entire length and connecting-it with said mixin chamber wherebthe fuel and air partic es coming from said conduit into said mixing chamber arecaused to expandyand thus a better interming'ling of airand fuel particles is obtained, said first-mentibned section having a. fuel and an air inletfscid second section having a fuel and air mixture outlet.

"8. Apparatusof the class described comprising a casing having two independent sections, fuel comminuting mechanism in one of said sections, fuel mixture advancing means in the other of said sections, a mixing chamber intermediate said sections having.

direct communication with said section ham ing the fuel mixture advancing means, a-

gradually contracting conduit communicating with said section containin the fuel coniminuting mechanism along so tantially its entire length and connecting it with said mixing chamber for the purpose set forth,

and an independent airv inlet in the contractcd portion of said conduit, said first mentioned section having a fuel and an air inlet, said second section having a fuel and air mixture outlet.

9. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing having two independent sections, one of said sections having a fuel and an air inlet, the second section having a fuel and air mixture outlet; a comminutlng mechanism in said first section; aiuel mix ture advancing mechanism in the second section; and a conduit connecting the two sections comprising a portion having a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area and an enlarged portion adjacent the smallest crosssectional area of said portion and whereb the fuel and air particles passing throng said contracting portion are caused to in crease in speed, and when enterin said enlarged portion to decrease in spec 10. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a casing having two independent sections, fuel comminuting mechanism in one of said sections, fuel mixture advancing means in the other of said sections, a gpixin chamber intermediate said sections} mi iio lpiiing-cfiamber having an end communiba name to this sp cifi ation in the piesence of (non withsaid section having the fuel adtwo subscriblng Witnesses. vancin means and a contracting conduit frgm t e laterai surface of said section con- JOHN HYDE 5 ta1n ing the comminuting mechanism to said Witnesses:

mixmg chamber. CLARENCE N. WATKINS, In' testimony whereof I have signed my HAROLD W. WATKINS. 

